About Us

The Institute for Energy and Environmental Flows (IEEF) is a world-leading physical sciences research institute at the University of Cambridge. Our highly interdisciplinary team includes academics, post-docs, PhD students, MPhil and Part III students from across university departments including Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Engineering, and Chemical Engineering.

Research

Research at IEEF spans a diverse range of topics, united by a shared motivation: to address real-world challenges and fundamental scientific knowledge gaps through rigorous academic inquiry.

We host a wide range of researchers at the institute, from undergraduate students to highly established professors, in a friendly atmosphere that fosters conversation and collaboration. We offer annual fully-funded PhD scholarships and are always interested to hear from researchers who would like to join us or to learn from us. If you are interested in working or studying at IEEF, please see our list of available roles and projects or contact the relevant member of staff.

Recent Publications

New Organic-Inorganic multilayer Microcapsules with superior mechanical properties

Microencapsulation is used across multiple industrial sectors to immobilise fragrances, flavours, and bioactive compounds. It offers numerous advantages, including enhanced stability and prolonged shelf life of the product, which is safeguarded from harsh environments, pH fluctuations …

Seasonal regimes of warm water intrusion toward Antarctic ice shelves

The future of floating Antarctic ice shelves is one of the principal uncertainties surrounding projections of future sea level rise. Melting of Antarctic ice shelves is caused by relatively warm and salty Circumpolar Deep Water currents …

Focus on Fluids: Dispersive mixing

Professor Andy Woods was recently invited to write a short “Focus on Fluids” article for the Journal of Fluid Mechanics. The article reviews some of the processes leading to dispersion and mixing in porous media, and …

Latest News

Head of Institute took part in Royal Society visit to the Japanese Academy of Sciences

On Friday 21 March 2025, professor Andy Woods returned from a 2-day visit to the Japan Academy. The visit was organised with the Royal Society to discuss issues relating to the energy transition, with particular focus …

New PhD Programme in Energy Transition Science: Apply now, closing date May 2025

Applications are welcomed for an exciting new institute-based PhD programme on energy-related fluid dynamics. The Institute for Energy and Environment Flows is launching a major new PhD research programme on energy transition science, with up to …

Research update published in GeoCam

A research update on some of the work being carried out at the Institute was published today in the latest issue of GeoCam, the magazine for the alumni of the Department of Earth Sciences

Recent Seminars

Novel Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Production

Today was the last seminar of Lent term, and Part III student James Fidler presented his recent work on new catalyst materials for hydrogen production through electrolysis.  Nobel metals are very expensive, and so research is …

Aquifer thermal energy storage

Professor Matthew Jackson from Imperial College London visited us today and presented his recent work on Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES) systems. This underground thermal energy storage technology provides large capacity, low carbon heating and cooling …

Flows through reactive porous rocks

To celebrate his recent submission, PhD student Sam Clarke presented some of the results of his work at the weekly seminar today. During his time at the Institute, Sam has been working on reactive flows through …